The Great Flood

Salish

Native American Lore

Long before missionaries ever arrived in the New World, the Indians had ancient legends of a
great flood, similar to that of Noah. This is the one the Cowichan tell.

In ancient times, there were so many people in the land that they lived everywhere. Soon
hunting became bad and food scarce, so that the people quarrelled over hunting territories.

Even in those days, the people were skilled in making fine canoes and paddles from cedars,
and clothing and baskets from their bark. In dreams their wise old men could see the future,
and there came a time when they all had similar bad dreams that kept coming to them over and
over again. The dreams warned of a great flood. This troubled the wise men who told each
other about their dreams. They found that they all had dreamed that rain fell for such a long
time, or that the river rose, causing a great flood so that all of the people were drowned. They
were much afraid and called a council to hear their dreams and decide what should be done.
One said that they should build a great raft by tying many canoes together. Some of the people
agreed, but others laughed at the old men and their dreams.

The people who believed in the dreams worked hard building the raft. It took many moons of
hard work, lashing huge cedar log canoes together with strong ropes of cedar bark. When it
was completed, they tied the raft with a great rope of cedar bark to the top of Mount
Cowichan by passing one end of the rope through the centre of a huge stone which can still be
seen there.

During the time the people were working on the raft, those who did not believe in the dreams
were idle and still laughed, but they did admire the fine, solid raft when it was at last finished
and floated in Cowichan Bay.

Soon after the raft was ready, huge raindrops started falling, rivers overflowed, and the valleys
were flooded. Although people climbed Mount Cowichan to avoid the great flood, it too was
soon under water. But those who had believed the dreams took food to the raft and they and
their families climbed into it as the waters rose. They lived on the raft many days and could see
nothing but water. Even the mountain tops had disappeared beneath the flood. The people
became much afraid when their canoes began to flood and they prayed for help. Nothing
happened for a long time; then the rain stopped.

The waters began to go down after a time, and finally the raft was grounded on top of Mount
Cowichan. The huge stone anchor and heavy rope had held it safe. As the water gradually sank
lower and lower, the people could see their lands, but their homes had all been swept away.
The valleys and forests had been destroyed. The people went back to their old land and started
to rebuild their homes.

After a long time the number of people increased, until once again the land was filled and the
people started to quarrel again. This time they separated into tribes and clans, all going to
different places. The storytellers say this is how people spread all over the earth.